Krystal Geeson
Staff Writer
ISU rugby competed at home in the DI-AA Varsity Cup National Championship semifinals against the University of Washington on April 26 on a stormy afternoon but fell short of the win.
After defeating the Cougars 32-25 in Pullman, Washington, the Bengals had the chance to host the Huskies.
“Hosting a Pac-12 school was a big accomplishment for us. We work so hard just to get there and wasn’t able to get over the hump of winning,” said Neveij Walters, member of the team.
“It was pretty nice to have big schools down in Pocatello. It was disappointing in the result. To beat Washington State last week, then to come here and get so close is pretty disappointing, especially with a good crowd,” said Robbie Bridge, assistant coach and member of the rugby team.
The rain and frigid temperatures did not keep fans of rugby home. The stands were still filled with supporters, umbrellas and gloves.
“[The fans] made a big difference. A lot of them are diehards and a lot of them are new to coming out. It makes a huge difference as to how we play. It gives us that home-ground feel,” said Bridge.
Walters became a part of ISU rugby last fall.
“This is my first year playing rugby. Just like any newcomer, I was anxious and excited at the same time. The first semester was a learning process until you go along and learn more and feel more comfortable,” said Walters.
Each player who wears the jersey represents his team, the university and the state of Idaho, according to the team’s website.
“It was a great opportunity for everybody, and especially the newcomers, to get used to playing against competition and to improve ourselves and see where we are lacking. Overall, it was a wonderful experience,” said Walters.
“We lost some of our older players and coach. It’s a big change adjusting to Phil and his style of coaching, and we did pretty well. I’m proud of what we accomplished overall,” said Walters.
“It’s never going to be the same without Ram, but it doesn’t mean we aren’t going to be as strong. It’s just a new chapter to finish as strongly as we did last year. It was good just to keep building,” said Bridge.
“Idaho State Rugby is working step-by-step in its progress to becoming a National Champion. We have a solid rugby program. In the last seventeen years we have seen tremendous progress forward. We must keep aspiring for greatness,” said Idaho State rugby’s website.
